Sprung from an idea in 2014 to arrange events scheduled to optimise training and racing for 420 sailors in both Austria and Hungary, as Wolfgang Kobale Sports Director of Austria’s 420 Class Association explained,
“I asked the Hungarians about holding a championship between our two countries. They liked my suggestion and so we started in 2014 with 2 regattas one in Austria and one in Hungary, which would also help grow the fleet at our own national regattas.
In 2015 we increased the regatta programme to 4 regattas with one discard for the qualification for the overall title of Sail Centrop Cup.”
In 2015, the popularity of the series saw fleets growing, with events held at:
Blue Sky Racing Days - 1. Sail Centrop Cup - Austria
Kereked Cup - 2. Sail Centrop Cup – Hungary
420er Staatsmeisterschaft - 3. Sail Centrop Cup – Austria
Regatta in Balatonfüred - 4. Sail Centrop Cup - Hungary
Overall winners after the four regattas were:
1. Angelika Kohlendorfer/Viktoria Puxkandl (AUT)
2. Nikolaus Kampelmüller/Oliver Kobale (AUT)
3. Lilla Takascy/Zsofia Varga (HUN)
Interesting that these teams also went on to make their mark at the 2015 420 Junior European Championship in Bulgaria. Kohlendorfer/Puxkandl finished 49th overall. The partnership knocked out some top three results, but these were countered with some high scoring double-digit finishes. Kampelmüller/Kobale also raced in the 420 Open fleet but suffered illness which kept them off the race track. Hungary’s Takascy/Varga finished 50th, again from an up and down scoreline. An impressive display in race 10 saw them walk away with the win, and a massive confidence boost.
Moving to 2016 and the Sail Centrop Cup has reached out to an even greater international audience. Event 1 of the 2016 season, Kereked Cup in Balaton has already attracted an entry line-up of over 45 teams from Austria, Hungary, Poland and Switzerland. The Polish contingent arrived on Monday 25 April with thirteen teams.
Following on from the opening event on Lake Balaton the series then moves to Austria, before concluding in Hungary:
With the 2016 420 Junior European Championship hosted on Lake Balaton from 29 July-5 August, there is no doubt the success of the Sail Centrop Cup will see some strong performances from central European nations in a few months' time on Lake Balaton.